Carton packaging machine for sheets



March 14, 1961 I R C, DEMLER 2,974,461

CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS s; N* SY- g Si CL 0- i l( d $1 '2:3 r -1 w.

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. CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FCR SHEETS BY j ,4 frog/V556 R. C. DEMLER CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS March 14, 1961 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 7, 1957 INVENTOR. PAY C'. DMLEB BY W M 1M /4 TOEA/Ey March 14, 1961 R C, DEMLER CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 7, 1957 l lll .fof

U INVENTOR. RAY DEW/5f? QMMCW March 14, 1961 R. c'. DEMLER CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. '7, 1957 INVENTOR l PAV c'. @5mm @M2M H n n n n n n n n.. l.

/1 Trae/V545' March 14, 1961 R. c. DEMLER 2,974,461

CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS Filed Oct. 7, 1957 13 Sheets-Sheet 6 74 75 77 Y 75 /zo 70 50 /5 /Z 7/ f 39 76 27 /4 4/ 4Z 4544 l '95 Z l l 40 u o o o -0 ug g g g :s: [if/5% 9 n n 3 INVENTOR. /PAY C'. DEMLE/Q BY @wa-Mum A rrOeA/E K5 March 14, 1961 R, C, DEMLER 2,974,461

CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS Filed oct. 7, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOE. PAV C? DEMLEE March 14, 1961 R. c. DEMLER CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Oct. 7, 1957 INVENTOR. PAY DFA/M56 Arran/5K5' March 14, 1961 R. C. DEMLER CARTON PACKAGING 'MACHINE FOR SHEETS l5 Sheets-Sheet 9 Fled Oct. 7, 1957 INVENTOR. /PAY C. DEMLE/Z f. MIM

A r TOP/V575 March 14, 1961 R. c. DEMLER CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS 13 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Oct. 7, 1957 INVENTOR. RAV C'. Dfw/5f? March 14, 1961 CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS Filed Oct. 7, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTOR.

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R. c. DEMLER 2,974,461 l R. C. DEMLER CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS March 14, 1961 15 SheebS-Sheerl 12 Filed OCT.. 7, 1957 INVENTOR.

DMLFZ PA y A r rok/v5 ya" March 14, 1961 R. c. DEMLER 2,974,461

CARTON PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SHEETS lled Oct. 7, 1957 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 ENTOR.

MLA-'R bm QM www NYM@ www@ EVS E nited States 2,974,461 CARTON PACKAGING MAcHrNE non SHEETS Filed Oct. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 688,645

9 Claims. (Cl. S15-388) The purpose of the present machine is to package sheet material substantially automatically in a carton. The sheets may be of various types such las plywood, veneer, hardboard, insulating board, metal, etc., and will be cut to uniform size, arranged in a stack and placed in a carton of appropriate size to receive such a stack. Stacks of panels have previously been packaged in this manner but the machines utilized for this purpose such as that of my prior Patent No. 2,215,545 have occupied such a large amount of floor space that utilization of such equipment was not very economical.

A principal purpose of the present invention is generally to simplif to reduce in size and to improve the efficiency of such sheet stack packaging machines.

More specifically it is an object to facilitate adjustment of such a machine to handle packages of different width, length and thicknesses.

In order to reduce the floor area occupied by the machine, mechanism is provided to interrupt movement of the package during the adhesive setting operation which requires more time than any other part of the operation. It is therefore not necessary to provide a long path over which the package travels during setting of the adhesive.

While the machine provides for movement of the package along paths mutually perpendicular as in my prior Patent No. 2,215,545 mentioned above, each leg of such path will be substantially shorter. It is `an object to improve the mechanism for transferring the package from one such leg to the other.

It is also an object to provide improved control features in the present machine so as to coordinate automatically operation of various components of the packaging machine.

Additionally it is an object to provide improved mechanism for receiving and stacking completed packages preparatory to removal from the machine of a substantial stack of such packages.

In general such a packaging machine is composed of a side closing leg including a package assembly table on which are assembled a lower carton part, a stack of sheets and an upper carton part ready to be fed through the machine, a folding and glue-applying section in which the inner flaps of the carton sides are folded against the stack of sheets, glue is applied and the outer side ilap is folded over the inner side flap while the package is moved along such leg, and the package is then stopped while pressure is lapplied to the folded aps of the package and held until the adhesive sets. The second section of the machine effects transfer of the package after having its sides glued from the side closing leg to the end closing leg. During movement of the package along the end closing leg, by successive operations the corners of the bonded sides are folded in, the inner end flap is folded over each end of the sheet stack, glue is applied to the end aps and the outer end flap is folded over the inner end ap while the package is moving along the end closing leg. The package is then stopped and arent O 2,974,461 PatentedMar. 14, 1961 pressure is applied to the folded end aps to set the adhesive. -In the next stage of the operation the packages are discharged from the end closing leg and accumulated in stacked relationship.

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of an assembly of package components including a lower carton part, a stack of sheets and an upper carton part assembled in superposed relationship preparatory to being fed into the packaging machine. Figure 2 is a similar View showing the package partially completed by having the side ilaps folded over the sheet stack and bonded together in the condition of the package upon reaching the transfer section. Figure 3 is a similar top perspective View of the completed package.

v Figure 4 is a plan view of the complete packaging machine.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the folding and adhesive applying section of the side`closing leg of the machine. Figure 6 is a. transverse vertical section through this same portion of the machine taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a bottom perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the machine showing drive mechanism details, parts being broken away. Figure 8 is a partial transverse vertical section through the machine Vtaken on line 8 8 of Figure 5 showing parts in one adjusted position and Figure 9 is a similar view showing parts in a different adjusted position.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the portion of the side closing leg at the junction between the folding and adhesive applying portion `and the adhesive setting portion as seen from line 10-10 of Figure 4.

Figure ll is a side elevation of the adhesive setting portion of the side closing leg of the machine and Figure 12 is a transverse vertical sectional view through this portion of the machine taken on line 12-12 of Figure 11. Figure 13 is a top perspective view of ya fragmentary portion of the adhesive setting part of the side closing leg with parts broken away, and Figure 14 is a plan view of such portion. Figure l5 is a fragmentary top perspective view of the same portion of the adhesive setting part of the side closing leg shown in Figure 13 but having parts in different positions and Figure 16 is a plan View of the same portion of the machine with the parts in the same position.

Figure 17 is Ia Vertical section through the transfer section of the machine taken on line 17-17 of Figure 4 with parts broken away and Figure 18 is a fragmentary right end portion of this section showing parts in a different adjusted position. Figure 19 is a top perspective view of the portion of the machine shown in Figure 18. Figure 20 is a vertical sectional view through the same section taken on line 20-20 of Figure 17. Figure 21 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on line 21-21 of Figure 2() with parts broken away and Figure 22 is a similar View showing parts in different operative positions. l

Figure 23 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 23-23 of Figure 4 showing the transfer portion in section and a portion of the end closing leg in side elevation.

Figure 24 is a transverse vertical section through the machine showing the end closing leg in end elevation looking in the direction of travel of the packages through the machine.

Figure 25 is a side elevation View of the outer end ap folding and end ap adhesive setting portions of the end closing leg as seen from line 2'5-25 of Figure 4.

Figure 26 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on line 26-26 of Figure 4 showing package discharge mechanism in one position and Figure 27 is a similar View showing the mechanism in a different position, such mechanism being shown in broken lines in still another position. v

Figure 28 is a side elevation of package accumulating elevator mechanism as seen from line 28-28 of Figure 4 and Figure 29 is a similar view showing parts of such mechanism in diierent positions.

,Figure 30 is a top perspective view of the accumulating elevator portion ofthe mechanism and Figure 3l is afraginentary top lperspective view ofthe lower central .portion of the mechanism shown in'Figure 30.

" Y Figure 32 is 'a .top perspective 'View of the Vlower portion of the elevator 'framework showing a modified type of load discharging mechanism and Figure 33 is a vertical Sectional'view through such mechanism taken on line 3,3--33f- Figure 32..

Figure 34 is a wiring diagram of control-and operating circuits of the machine.

The package As has been mentioned aboye, the Vpurpose of'packagingshet material is to protect it during shipment-whatever the type of sheet material. Plywood panels during 'manufacture are iinished by having both principal faces sanded and the edges cut straight, square and smooth along -lines accurately reducing the'plywood panel to precisely the desired size. Such a plywood panel `at the completion of the manufacturing operation is ready for assembly on a Wall without any nishing operation exjcept painting. Plywood panels may even have accuratelybeveled corners inV some instances and Ahave one face actually stained, varnished, painted or finished with overlay material so that even painting is not necessary.

Vand atleast one face of thepanel will be smooth. Such sheet material also may have a iinished principal surface either of the treated or enameled type or covered with a synthetic resin overlay, for example.

A softer material in sheet form whichmay be packaged -by'the machine of the present inventionis insulating board made of Woody material such as wood ber, bagasse, corn stalks, etc. A further rather fragile type of sheet material is plaster board composed of a plaster core having its opposite faces covered with paper. Such insulating board and plaster boardrare easily subject to surface damage by engagement with a corner or edge of an object.

`Metal sheet material is less subject to damage perhaps than'the various types discussed above but even a mild b low can bend the edges of metal sheetsin a stack if it is of relatively-soft material such as-` aluminum. Moreover, such sheets are quite limber and'there'fore comparatively difiicult to handle as well as being slick, s o that' they tend to slide edgewise upon each other.

It therefore will be lunderstood that if sheet material of these various types is bound firmly in a carton package, the sheetsy will vbe Yprotected from edge damage, whether by bending, splitting or brealoing, and the principal surfaces will be protected against puncture types of injury. In addition, a completed package of such sheets can be stored-more compactly because veneer sheets, for example, will be Vpressed flat inA the stack during the packaging process. Also, the completed package will bind the'sheets in it tightly togetherV so that they cannot -slide edgewise and cannot bend readily so that the 4package as a whole is relatively s'tiffto facilitate its handling by a fork lift'truclg'for example.

` The package isfcom'posed of upper and-lower-protective sheets preferably of corrugated core cardboard 4 which are resilient and strong. Such upper and lower carton parts are of an area substantially greater than the area of the sheets in the stack to be packaged and the end and side edges of the carton parts are folded over the stack of sheet material into overlapping relationship and bonded together while pressure is applied to the opposite carton parts to hold the stack of sheets flat. The bonding of the carton edge aps will hold the carton and its contents in compact flat condition.

Figures l, 2 and 3 illustrate the sequence of steps in forming the package as it moves through the machine. In Figure l, the stack of sheets is placed lon a lower carton par-t and this stack is covered by the upper carton part uc. In this condition, the package components are fed into the packaging machine shown in Figure 4 to be of angle shape in plan. During travel of the package components along the side closing leg of the machine, ,theV Vside aps of the upper and lower carton parts are folded -into overlapping relationship with adhesive supplied between them'and the package components are then stopped while the yadhesive is set, so that it reaches the condition of Figure 2.

The package `with its sides thus 'closed is then transferred to the end closingV leg of the machine and while it is moving Aalong such leg, the corner portions of the edge ilaps are folded around the corners of the sheet stack and Ithe upper and lower end ilaps are folded into overlapping relationship with adhesive between them. The package again is stopped while the adhesive is set to bond together the upper and lower end aps. The completed packages, as they appear in Figure 3, will then be stacked automatically for 'removal by a fork lift truck, when a. stack'of packages of the desired height has been accumulated.

T he package side closing leg of the machine As designed and as will be described the machine of the present invention is composed of two principal legs arranged at `an angle, the mechanism of one leg being operative to close the sides of the carton package and the mechanism of the other Vleg being operative to close the ends of the carton package. In using these designations, it is assumed that the package will beof rectangular shape in plan so that one dimension is greater than the other, but the machine can be used for Vassembling a package of square shape. Sheet material of the type discussed above ordinarily is longer than-it is wide, a very conventional size being four feet wide and eight feet long for plywood panels, for example.

As far as'the operation of the machine is concerned, it would also make little difference whether the longitudinal sides or the shorter ends of the package were closed rst, but it is somewhat easier to handle the package if'the longitudinal longer edges of the package are closedffirst and the. ends of the package are closed subsequently, and a machine functioning in this manner is shown in the drawings and described below. The package components, includingthe lower-carton part, a stack of sheets to be'packaged onsuch part, and an Yupper covering cartonpart are assembled on the package assembly table 1 of the'side closing leg.

In order to place the sheets in the stack inaccurate edge registry, a backing alignment bar'Z Vis provided lengthwise of the side closing leg and a reference stop member 3 may lbe provided at an end of the assembly table against Whichthe sides and ends of the sheets, respectively, can'be pressed. The end stop member 3 may be in the nature ofa post, and if it is located at the end remote from the rest of the side closing leg, itl can be of the fixed type or it could be located -at .the opposite end of the assemblytable and be vertically retractable. In order to accommodate sheets of different width for paci;- aging thev backing alignment bar can be adjustableV transversely of the length of the package-by a lead screw 4 operatively Vengaged with it, Vwhich screw can be turned by the handcrank- 4. Such adjustment will enable the components of the package to be located accurately in centered position prior to being fed to the package closing components of the machine.

The lower carton part can rest on transport devices which preferably are not powered. Three such devices, including a center device 5 and side devices 5 are shown in Figure 4, and in Figure 5 these devices are shown as lines of roller conveyors. Such conveyors deter movement of the package transversely of its path of movement through the machine. In order to enable the longitudinal edges of the stack of package components to be supported accurately, it is preferred that the two outer lines of roller conveyors 5 be movable simultaneously, and to the same extent toward or away from the central iixed line of roller conveyors. The backing alignment bar 2 may be connected for movement with the adjacent conveyor line 5. Such conveyor lines will extend to a location adjacent to the side closing section of the machine, and may be carried by a lead screw 6, which is connected by a chain 6 with the lead screw 4 so that these lead screws will be rotated conjointly by turning crank 4. Simultaneous and equal rotation of the two lead screws 4 and 6 thus interconnected will effect conjoint and equal adjustment of the two side roller conveyor lines 5'.

Side closing and adhesive applying section The structure of the side closing and adhesive applying section is shown best in Figures 4 to l0, inclusive. When the assembled stack of package components is pushed from the assembly table 1 toward the side folding section, the upper and lower carton parts will be engaged between power driven upper belts 7 and 7 and lower belts 8 and 8. All of these belts are backed by rollers 9 which hold the belts against deflection by engagement with the package.

It is preferred that each upper and lower set of belts include three belts. The central lower belt 8 is mounted stationarily so that it cannot be shifted either horizontally or vertically, transversely of its length. The upper central belt 7 is mounted so that it can be moved up or down so as to engage tightly packages of various thicknesses supported on the lower belts. The outer belts 8 are mounted for movement conjointly with the upper outer belts 7 toward or away from the central belts so that for packages of different widths the belts 7' and 8', respectively, can engage and clamp tightly the edge portions of the sheet stack and carton members lengthwise of the package.

To enable the upper series of belts 7 and 7 to be moved simultaneously vertically toward or away from the lower belts 8, 8', such upper belts are mounted on transverse beams 10 at one end and 11 at the other end of the belt carrying structure. These beams are slidably guided for vertical movement on frame columns 12 and their ends are secured to the longitudinal beams 13, extending along opposite sides of the frame. The longitudinal beams are supported adjacent to opposite ends by rods 14 connected to the ends of chains 15 shown in Figures 5 and 6. These chains extend upwardly over sprockets 16 mounted on the upper ends of the columns 12 and are then directed toward the center of the machine.

The inner ends of the chains 15 are anchored to rods 17, secured respectively to nuts 18, threaded on horizontal screws 19 rotatably mounted in suitable bearings. The screws at one side of the machine will have left-hand threads and the screws at the other side of the machine will have right-hand threads. The screw shafts adjacent to opposite ends of this section of the machine are interconnected for conjoint rotation by a chain 2G engaging sprockets 20' on the two shafts, so that all the screwsV 19 will be turned simultaneously to the same degree for raising and lowering all chains 15 and rods 14 equal amounts. When the supporting mechanism for belts 7 and 7' is adjusted, therefore, the entire supporting mechanism including transverse beams 10 and 11 and longitudinal beams 13 will move as a unit.

Since it is desirable for the belts 7 and 8' to engage the longitudinal edge portions of the package, provision is made for adjusting each pair of belts 7', 8 horizontally toward and away from the central belts 7, 8. Moreover, such adjusting mechanism will move the pairs of side belts at opposite sides of the center belts simultaneously toward the center belts or simultaneously away from the center belts to the same degree. Such lateral spacing adjusting mechanism is shown best in Figures 8 and 9, and to some extent in Figures 5 and ll. 'Ihe lower central belts 8 are iixedly supported on the iixed transverse beams 21 and the mountings for belts 8 lare slidably supported on such beams.

A lea'd :screw 22 extends transversely of the machine adjacent to each transverse beam 21 and is engaged with a nut 22 secured to the belt supporting mechanism. The threads on opposite ends of screw 22 are oppositely directed, as. shown in Figure 8, and the screws adjacent to opposite ends of this section are interconnected by a chain 23 shown in Figures 8,. 9 and 10. One of the lead screws is driven by the chain 24, shown in Figures 5 and 11, and this chain is driven by a driving chain 25 turned by a sprocket on speed reducing mechanism 26 powered by motor 27 which will be of the reversible type.

If it is desired to vary the spacing of the belts 8 there.- fore, the motor 27 will be energized to drive the chains 25, 24 and-23 in one direction to turn the lead screws 22 so that the belt supports adjacent to opposite ends of the belts will be moved toward each other such as from the position shown in Figure 8 to that of Figure 9, or vice versa, such as from the position of Figure 9 to that of Figure 8. Belts 7 must be moved simultaneously with belts 8 and the belts 7 are supported on carriag 26 which run ou transverse beams 10 so that they also can be shifted along such beam. The carriages 26 are interconnected with the lower side belt supports by posts 27 which are secured to the lower mechanism yadjustable by rotation of the lead screws 22, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, and which extend upward through apertures in plates 28 secured to the carriages 26. It will be evident that whenever the lower mechanism is moved lengthwise of beam 2,1 by rotation of screw 22, each post will shift its plate 28 and carriage 26 correspondingly. Because this post extends through a holle in the plate 28 in each instance however, it will not interfere with upward and downward movement of the beams 10 and 11 and upper belt system.

In order to make sure that the upper belts '7' will be in precise registry with the lower belts 8', the post engaging plate 28 can be adjustably secured to the carriage 26, in each instance, by bolts 29 slidable in slots 29 in the carriage as shown in Figure 8. By these connections Iadjacent to opposite ends of each belt 7 the alignment of such belts can also be altered to bring them into parallelism with the belts 8.

It is preferred that all of belts 7, 7', 8 and 8 be powered and consequently it is important that they all be driven at the same speed. It is desirable, therefore, for such belts to be driven from the same power source and it will be necessary for the drive arrangement to be eective in various in and out adjusted positions of belts '7' and 3 and various vertically adjusted positions of belts 7, 7. The upper and lower belts are all driven by the motor 30, shown in Figure 5, which drives chain 31 through a speed reducer 32. This chain drives directly sprocket 33v on shaft 34 on which the belt pulleys at one end of this ma chine section are mounted for carrying belts 8 and 8'. While the pulley for belt 8 may be secured to this shaft, the pulleys for belts d will be slidably keyed to such shaft so that they can be adjusted along it.

`In Figure l0 the mechanism for driving the upper belts 7 and 7' from the lower shaft 34 is illustrated. The end of this shaft opposite that carrying sprocket 33 has mounted on it a sprocket 35 shown in Figure 10. The upper shaft 36 carries a sprocket 37 of the same size and these sprockets are interconnected by the chain 33. Idler "se sprockets are then provided for maintaining chain 38 'sufficiently tight to Veiiect driving engagement with the sprockets 35 and 37 in various adjusted positions of the upper belts relative fto the lower belts. For this purpose, 'an idler sprocket 39 is mounted on an upper channel 13 adjacent to the shaft 36 and another idler sprocket 4f) is mounted on a slide 41 guided in ways 42 for sliding lengthwise of the beam 13. A spring 43 connected between the slide 4l andan anchor 441 on the beam 33 u-rges the sprocket 40 away from the sprocket 39;.

As y'the chains 15 are driven to raise the beams i3, the

i spacing between shafts 34 and-36 will increase requiring a greater length of chain extending between the sprockets 35 and 37. The vertical component of the length of chain between sprockets 35 and 40 also will increase correspondingly. Such increase in length will be compensatedlfoiiby the reduction in the length of chain connecting sprockets '39 and 4d and in the horizontal componentof'the chain connecting sprockets 35 and 40. Such reduction is afforded by movement o-f the slide 41 to the legit, as seen in'Figure l0, in opposition to the tension of spring 43. On the other hand, if the chain 15 and rod 14 alongside each column 1.2 is lowered to lower theV beams 13, the 'vertical length of the chains between sprockets 35 and 37 and between sprockets 35 and 4t) will be reduced, while the horizontal length of the chain between sprockets l39 Vand dit and between sprockets 3Sv land 40 will Vbe increased. Such increase will be effected by spring 43 pulling slide 41 to the right, as seen in Figure 10,v to maintain substantially a constant tension on the chain 38 in all adjusted positions of the beams 13.

As the carton components are moved from the assembly table 1 into the space between the upper and lower belts 7, 7'., 8, and 8', the side ilaps of the upper carton part uc vand of the lower carton part lc, as seen in Figure 5, will be moved into engagement with positive guide strips. Thus the side aps of the upper carton part will be guided beneath the strips 45, shown in Figures and 8, Vand the lflanges on the lower carton part will pass between an upper strip 46 and a lower strip 47, shown in Figures k5 and 8. As seen in Figures 8 and 9, all of these vstrips, 45, 46, and 47 are supported for movement with the adjacent lower beltv 3' so that if this belt is adjusted properly `to engage the edge portion of the package, `the aps of vthe Vcarton parts will engage these strips.

It will be noted in Figure 5 that the leading endof the Y strip 45 is inclined upward to insure that the flap of the upperjcarton part will ride under this strip* even .though the package parts are not pressed tightly together. The right end of this strip is twisted from a horizontal position into a vertical position so that the upper carton part iap engaging beneath it will be folded downward progressively alongside the edges of the sheets as the package moves into this portion of the machine. The ilap .of the lower carton part, on the other hand, received between strips 46 and 147 will be held in a horizontal position, land in such position will be moved between strip heaters 4S to warm-therap .before the glue is appliedtoit.

After the side flap of the upper carton part has been folded downward, adhesive will be applied to the upper surface of'thelower carton hap by glue applying mech anism, illustrated in Figures 5 and 7. Such glue applying mechanism is mounted on each beam 49 supporting a belt 8', so that'the adhesive applying mechanism willbe adjustable simultaneously with the belts S and thus -always place the adhesive on the carton flap in the same position. Such glue applying mechanism includes a roll 50, seen in Figures 5 and '7, which is supplied with adhesive from a reservoir Si. The roll 50 is rotated by chain 52 in tum driven by chain 53 which is driven by tightener pulley mechanism for the belt 8. To keep the 'belt 8 tight, it makes an S-turn around pulleys 54 and 5S. The shaft 56 of pulley 54 carries the drive sprocket 57 Vforthe adhesive applying roll drive chain 53.

i.. The actual tightener mechanism vfor the belt 8' includes rBracket 58 supports an end of shaft 61 on which roll 55 -is mountedV and a similar mounting arrangement will be provided for the other end of this shaft. By adjusting screws 59 the pulley 55 may be shifted lengthwise of the belt 8 to tighten it to the desired degree. A similar S- curve tightener arrangement is provided for each of the upper belts 7 and 7', designated 62 in Figure 5.

As the side iiaps pass the adhesive applying station, the tiap of the upper carton part on each side will be ypressed against the edge of the sheet stack and warmed by strip heaters 63. The lower side ilap` will be supported by strip V64, the right end of which, as seen in Figure 5, twists from horizontal position to vertical position, so that the iiap moving in engagement with it will be folded upward into engagement with the downwardly folded upper 'iiap with adhesive between them.

Adhesive setting section of side closing leg From the side Hap folding and adhesive applying section Vof the side closing leg of the machine, the package is transported into the adhesive setting section of the side closing leg by the belts 7,77',`8 and 8. It will be understood that such belts have exerted suihcient pressure on the package to maintain it iiat and compact during its movement through the ilap folding and adhesive applying section. it is important that the package be maintained in such attened compact condition until the adhesive between the side flaps has been set. Consequently, in the adhesive setting section, upper transport belts 65 and 65 and lower transport belts 66 and 66 are provided in continuation `of the belts 7, 7', 8 and 8', respectively, both to maintain the package in its :dat compressed condition and to transport it. In general, the belt arrangement in this section is similar to that in the section previously described, both as to the manner in which the belts are supported for adjustment and the manner in which they are driven.

In Figure l2, the belts d5 and 65 andthe belts 66 and 66 are backed by rollers 67 and the upper belts are mounted for vertical adjustment on transverse beams 68 and '69, as seen in Figure ll, adjacent to their opposite ends. These beams are guided for vertical movement by columns 70 of the machine vframe and are supported by rods 7l carried by the lower ends of chains 72 and attached `to the beams 73 extending lengthwise of the machine, to opposite ends of which the transverse beams 65 and 69 are attached.` in order to adjust the spacing between the upper belts 65, 65 and the lower belts 66, 66', therefore, the entire beam frame 68,' 69, 73 is raised :and lowered by movement of chains 72 in synchronism with the movement of chains 15 in the ap folding and ,adhesive applying section.

The chains 72 pass over sprockets on the upper corners of the machine, as shown in Figure 1l, and are connected to screw actuators of the type shown in Figures 8 and 9. The screw actuators at opposite ends of this section are interconnected by 4a chain7'4 and the left lead screw shaft in Figure l1 is connected by a chain 75 to the right lead screw shaft in Figure 5, so that -the lead screw shafts for eecting vertical adjustment of the upper rolls 7, 7 ofthe flap folding and adhesive applying section are positively connected for coordinated turning with the lead screw shafts for adjusting theV elevation of the upper belts 65 and 65' in the ladhesive setting section.V All of these chains 2t?, 75, and 74 lare driven by the ldrive chain 76, in Figures l0 and 1l, which is driven by the speed reducer 77 powered by the motor 7S. Elevational adjustment of all of the upper belts in the side closing leg is therefore effected simultaneously by driving motor 7S iu one direction or the other, depending upon whether it is desired-to raise or to lower such belts.

Movement of belts 65 and 66' toward or away from the 9.- central belts 65 and 66 simultaneously is elected in much the same manner as the corresponding adjustment of belts 7 and S' as described above. Thus the belts 65 will be mounted on frames supported on carriages 79, indicated in Figure 11, and these carriages will be moved in and out by posts 80 which are secured to the slides supporting the lower adjustable belts 66'. Such lower adjustable belts are moved transversely of their lengths by rotation of shafts S1, driving lead screws similar to the lead screws 22 shown in Figures 8 and 9. The lead screws at opposite ends of this section are interconnected by chains 82, shown in Figure 10. Because of the interconnection between the lead screws 81 and the lead screws 22 by chain 24, Figure ll, the belts 7, 8', 65 and 66' will all be moved transversely simultaneously and to the same extent.

The belts 65, 65', 66 and 66' of the adhesive setting section of the machine are driven by the motor S3` through the speed reducer S4 and chain 85. This chain drives sprocket 86 which turns shafts 87 on which the belt drive pulleys are mounted. Belt tighteners 88 maintain the lower belts 66 and 66' under proper tension. The upper belts 65 and 65' are driven from the lower belt drive by mechanism like that shown in Figure 10. Belt tighteners 89 are also provided for each of the upper belts.

When the package with its side iiaps folded has been moved into the side sealing section while still held compacted by the upper and lower belts 65, 65', 66 and 66', the drive motor 83 is stopped so that the side closing operation may be completed. Such operation is completed by simultaneously heating and pressing the aps along the entire length of each side. The mechanism for accomplishing this operation is shown in Figures 11 to 16, inclusive. The heating and pressure applying mechanism is carried by a slide 90 at each side of this section which is connected to the slides for belts 66 so that the heating and pressure mechanism is adjusted outwardly and inwardly with transverse adjustment of the belts 66'. Such mounting will insure that the heating and pressure mechanism will always be disposed in proper relationship to the side of a package compacted between the upper and lower belts.

The heating and pressure mechanism is composed of a gang or series of short plates 91 arranged close together along the length of the package. Each plate carries an electric resistance heating element 92 which will heat the plate. Each plate is supported by upper and lower rods 93 and 94 slidably supported in the flanges of upper and lower channel beams 95 and 96. A compression spiral spring 97 encircles each of these rods and reacts be- -tween a collar 98 on the rod and the flange of the channel beam remote from the heating plate 91. If desired a second compression spring 99 may be provided around each rod between the heating plate and the flange of each channel closer to the pressure plate.

The channel beams 95, 96 supporting the pressure plate assembly are mounted for movement transversely of the direction of movement of the package and relative to the belts 66. Such movement is eected by a plurality of spaced hydraulic piston and cylinder actuators 100 connected at intervals to the channel beams as shown in Figure l1. While such actuators may be of the double acting type so as to operate both to move the beams away from the actuators and to draw the beams toward theactuators, the mechanism is somewhat simpler if the actuators are of the single acting type so as to move the beams only away from them. The beams may be returned toward the actuators by tension springs 101 secured between the beam frame and the support 102 for the actuators 100. While the uid pressure actuators can be of either ,the hydraulic or pneumatic type, the pneumatic type is preferred.

Figures 12 to 16, inclusive, illustrate the operation of the pressure mechanism. In Figure 12, the side pressure mechanism is shown retracted and there is no package in the adhesive setting section of the machine. In Figures 13 and 14, a package has been moved into the adhesive setting section, but the pressure plates are still in retracted position. In Figures 15 and 16, iluid under pressure has been supplied to the actuators 100, which have shifted the channel beams 95, 96 to the left so that the pressure plates 9-1 are pressed against the folded side aps of the package. The degreeof pressure thus exerted by the individual plates 91 is indicated by the fact that both the springs 97 and the springs 99 yare compressed, and the actuator 100 has not been extended to the left its full stroke. Pressure will thusbe exerted `for a predetermined period established by suitable timing mechanism.

lt is desirable for the pressure plates 91 to be tiltable slightly relative to the guide rods 93 and 94 to insure that they seat ilat on the side of the package. In addition, the pressure along the package side throughout its length will be uniform despite slight irregularities, because each plate can move in or be held out or -tilt relative to adjacent plates. The series of heating plates will be long enough to accommodate the longest package which can be handled by the machine, and those plates beyond the ends of the package simply will not be altered in position Irelative to the beams 95, 96 as these beams are reciprocated by the actuators. It is desirable to provide hooked limit stop arms 103 secured to beam 95 to engage the actuator supporting structure 102 if the -actuators 100 should be energized when there is no package in the side sealing section of the machine. For short packages one end actuator can -be turned off.

When the side sealing operation has been completed and the beams 95, 96 have 'been returned to their outer positions, the drive motor 83 for belts 65, 65', 66 and 66 may again be energized to move the package out of the side sealing section and onto a transfer section for passage through the end closing leg of the machine.

Transfer section The transfer section of the machine is shown best in Figures 17 to 23, inclusive, although this section is shown generally in plan in Figure 4. The package is moved from the belts of the side adhesive setting section onto the rolls 104 of the transfer section. Because the carton sides have now been bonded together securely it is not necessary that compacting pressure be maintained on the package. The rolls 104 are driven by the motor 105 and speed reducer 106 which drives the chain 1107 meshing with sprockets 108 on Iall the roll shafts. Such movement of the rolls carries the package to the right as seen in Figure 17 until the edges of the sheets within the package end engage the plunger 109. This plunger is shifted to the right by such package engagement to actuate the'stop switch 110 seen in Figure 17 for deenergizing roll drive motor 105.

Prior to discharge of the package from the side adhesive setting section the position of plunger 109 will have been set by the operator depending upon the length of the packages being handled. Thus the position of this plunger can be established by moving'along beam 1111 a box 112 containing a nut which is threaded on lead screw 113 extending longitudinally through the beam. This lead screw can be rotated by the chain -114 driven by shaft 115 shown in Figure 23 which may be rotated by power means described hereafter.

Also slidably mounted on the beam 11.1 is the slider 116 which is'connected to the box 112 by the double acting tiuid pressure piston and cylinder actuator 117 which preferably is of the pneumatic type. The plunger 109 is mounted on the slider 116. When the package engages the plunger to actuate switch 110, not only does such switch actuation deenergize motor but the actuator 117 will also be energized to shift the slider '1116 to the right along Ibeam 111 from the position shown in Figure 17 to that of Figure 18.

Such movement will retract.` the plunger 109cm ofthe end of thestopped Vcarton package even though the plunger is returned toward` the left relative to the slider 116 by return springs 118 in Figure 19 to release switch 11G- The package will then be ready for movement in a direction perpendicular to its previous path of movement so as to proceed along theend closing leg of the machine.

The box 112 will have been adjusted along the beam 111so that the package will be stopped with its center disposed immediately above belt 119. This belt and ball bearing-wheel conveyors 120 extending parallel to the rolls 104 are mounted on 'beams 121 movable vertically by uid pressure piston and cylinder actuators 122, preferably ofthe pneumatic type.` Such actuators, also controlled by switch 110, will lift the beams 121 from the position shown in Figure 2'1 in which the belt 119 and ball bearing lwheel-conveyors 121) are located below the upper surfaces of rolls `164 to positions in which such ball bearing wheei conveyors and -belt are disposed above the upper sides of such rolls so as to lift the package olf the rolls. When it is desired to feed the package intro the end closing leg of the machine, therefore, the belt 119 will eifect such package movement.

End #up folding and adhesive applying section The end flap folding and adhesive applying section mechanism is much the same as the mechanism of the side flap folding and adhesive applying section. A principalditerence is that the center lower transport belt constitutes a continuation of the belt 119 which extends through the transfer section as described above. in order that this belt may be depressed below the upper sides of the rolls 104 the belt is guided under the backing roll 123 as shown in Figure 2() and over the backing rolls 124. Movement of the center belt 119 will shift the package into the space between the threelower belts 119 and 119' and the three upper belts 125 and 125 as `seen in Figure 24. Y

Prior to such entnance of the package between these upper Vand lower belts the vertical spacing between such belts will have been adjusted appropriately to conform to the thickness of the package by vertical adjustment of the transverse beams 126 which are carried by the longitudinal beams 127 supported by the rods 12% and chains 1,29. .These chains are adjustable by rotation of the lead screws 130 elected by the chains 131 in a manner similar to the vertical adjustment described for the upper ro-lls in the side flap folding and adhesive applying section and in theside adhesive setting section. Y

Also the-belts 119 and 12S will have been adjusted to the proper spacing from the central belts 119 and 125 to accommodate a package of the particular length being handled by suitably driving chains 132,and G to move the llead screws for shitingthe slides carrying lower side belts 119'. The upper side belts 12S' Ywill bev moved correspondingly because they .are supported on carriages 134 connected to the-lower slides by posts 135 which type of structure hasbeen described in greater detail in connection with the side iiap folding and adhesive applying section mechanism. The drive shaft '115.shown Vin Figure 23 may be that carrying thelead screw at one end of belts 119 so Vthat the chain 114 will be driven in synchronism with the chains 132 and 133 to turn lead screw 113 for shifting the box 11`2 to the same .extent inward or outward that belts 119 and1'25 are shifted relative to belts 119 and 12S.

In ythe end ap folding and adhesive applying section in addition to folding the end .ilaps and applying adhesive between them, it is necessary to tuck in the corner iiaps. For this purpose tucker Wheels 136 are provided which are mounted on the slides carrying the belts 119. These wheels are driven by motors 137,'also mounted on such slides, through twisted V-belts 137. When the package is first pushed into the end closing leg the -wheels 136 are stationary Aand movement of the Aleading corner flaps past them will tuck the corner flaps in so that downward folding of the upper flap wil-l hold it in place. As the trailing side of the package reaches the trucker wheels they will be rotated briefly to kick the corner iiaps in until they are held by the upper end naps being deected downward.

ln passing through the end flap folding and adhesive applying section the upper aps will engage twisted strips to fold them downward, the lower aps will be held horizontal initially, glue will be applied to them and finally the loweriiaps will be engaged with a twisted strip to fold the lower llaps upward into position overlapping the downwardly folded upper flaps just as in folding the side liaps'inthe side nap folding and adhesive applying section. Consequently, the ap folding strips and adhesive applying mechanism has not been shown in detail in the end flap folding and adhesive applying section. The adhesive applying roll will be driven by the belts 119' in a manner corresponding to the drive of adhesive applying rolls by the belts 8 in the side iiap folding and adhesive applying section.

As in the side closing leg of the machine, the upper and lower belts in the end closing leg of the machine will be adjusted simultaneously and equal in amounts in the end ap folding and adhesive applying section and inthe end adhesive setting-section. The belt supporting mechanism and Iadjurstingmechanisrn shown in Figure 25 is entirely comparable-to that described previously 'and it is believed to be unnecessary to repeat that description here. Moreover, the drive mechanism for the belts 119, 119, 125 and effected by the motor 133 through speed reducer 139 and chain 149 is the same as shown in Figures 5 and l() for the side ilap folding -and adhesive applying section belts.

End adhesive setting section As .hasbeen mentioned, the belts of the end adhesive setting section will be adjusted both-vertically and transverselyof the path of package movement in synchronism with the belts inthe end iiap folding and yadhesive applying section and by mechanism like that described above in connection with the side closing leg of the machine.

InA addition the lend adhesive setting mechanism is quite comparable to the side adhesive setting section mechanism inthat a series of. pressure plates 141 is provided along each end of the package which is comparable to the series of pressure plates .91 shown in Figures 13 to 16. l\/Ioreover,-the plates of this series are mounted on upper and lowerbeams 142 and 143 of channel shape comparable to thebeams 95 andV 96 of the mechanism shown in Figures 13 Vto 16. The pressure plates of the end adhesive settingsection are heated and actuated in the same manner as described in connection with the side adhesive setting mechanism. rfhe drive mechanism for the upper and lower transport belts for the-end adhesive setting section 4will be separate-from the drive mechanism for the other sections and such belts 4will be-drivenby motor 144 driving chain 145 through the speed reducer 146. Again the drive for the upper and lower belts will be comparable to that shown in Figure l0.

Whenthe package ends have been 1 sealed the belt driving motor-1de again will be energized to discharge the completed package from the end closing leg of themachine. --I-t will be `difficult for the belts to` move the Vpackage completely beyond-the end adhesive setting lsection and to effect suchmovementgpackage discharge plunger-s 147 shown in Figures 26 and 27 are provided. As a package-is movcdthrough the end adhesive setting section by the transport belts it will ride `on plates 148 overlying thc plungers 147 and depress them.

Each plunger 147 and plate 14S are mounted on pivot 149 to swing between the full lin-eposition shown in Figure 26'and the full lineposition shown in Figure 27. Normally the plunger and plate lare held in their upper positiousbyspring l'pullinglupward on the lower end of arm 151. The upward'movement of the plunger and -upper position of Figure 26.

13 plate thus effected is limited by a stop lug 152 engaging with a stop bracket 153. Downward swinging of the plate will cause the plunger to engage switch Iarm 154 of switch 155 which will control the supply of fluid under pressure to the cylinder of the plunger 147. The plunger actuator is preferably of the pneumatic type.

When the trailing end of the package has passed over the end plate 148 the spring 158 will return the plunger and plate from the lower position of Figure 27 to the By such movement the switch arm 154 will be released which will eiect supply of uid under pressure to the plunger actuator for driving the plunger outward into the broken line position of Figure 27 which will complete the discharge of the package from the end closing leg of the machine. When the plungers have thus been extended fully the supply of uid to their actuators will not be reversed to retract the plungers again to the position of Figure 26 until the following package approaches such discharge mechanism but before it has depressed plate 148.

Package accumulating elevator Each package discharged from the end closing leg of the machine by the plungers 147 will be expelled into an accumulating elevator mechanism. This elevator is composed of four columns 156 carrying superstructure 157 on which is mounted mechanism for supporting and for raising and lowering the vertically movable platform 158. As shown in Figure 30 this platform is supported at its corners by rods 159 connected to the ends of chains 160 which pass upward over sprockets on parallel shafts 161 at opposite ends of the machine. These shafts are connected for conjoint rotation by chains 162 and one of these shafts is rotated positively by the drive mechanism including chains 163 and 164 connected through a countershaft 165 to the speed reducer 166 driven by motor 167.

`To assist the drive mechanism 163, 164, 166 and 167 in carrying the weight of the platform 158 and a load on it two or more counterweights 168 may be provided. These counterweights are shown supported jointly by the ends of two chains 160 opposite the ends of such chains attached to rods 159 and by cables 169 connected to the ends of the chains 160, respectively, at the opposite end of the elevator. Alternatively, a separate counterweight could be supported by each of the chains 160.

A load of completed packages will begin to be accumulated on the elevator platform 158 when it has been raised to its uppermost position shown in Figure 28. The first package discharged from the end closing leg will be pushed by the plungers into the position shown indot and dash lines in Figure 28 which will result in shifting control bar 170 to the right and downward as seen in this figure and swinging control arm 171 upward from the full line position of Figure 28 to the broken line position. Such swinging of arm 171 will initiate downward movement of the elevator and such movement will continue downward until the arm 171 has dropped again from the broken line position of Figure 28 to the full line position. Downward movement of the elevator platform will then be interrupted until the next package has been discharged from the end closing leg of the machine onto the first package which will have again raised the control arm 171.

Successive packages are thus discharged onto the elevator platform and it is moved downward step by step until a stack of packages has been accumulated to the full extent desired as shown in Figure 29. At that time further downward movement of the elevator will be interrupted by suitable limit switch mechanism. As the elevator platform reaches the limit of its downward movement the brake mechanism 172 will also be applied to terminate downward movement of the elevator platform abruptly. As indicated in Figure 29, however, the platform will have descended far enough to located its upper surface `below the upper surfaces of rolls 173 mounted on stationary Abars 174 so that the stack of packages will be resting upon and supported by such rolls. v

When the stack of packages is thus supported on the rolls pusher mechanism will push the stack of packages out of the elevator framework so that the platform 158 can be raised again to begin accumulating a further stack of packages. Such pusher mechanism includes the lug 175 preferably of angle shape which is mounted on chain 176. One end of this chain is secured by anchor 177 and from such anchor the chain passes around a sprocket 178 carried by the plunger 179 of a fluid pressure piston and cylinder actuator 180.

From sprocket 178 the chain passes around two fixed sprockets 181 and 182. Such latter sprocket is mounted on the end of guide ways 183 in which the pusher lug 175 is guided for movement. The chain then passes around sprocket 184 mounted on the opposite end of the ways 183 from sprocket 182 whence the chain passes in a return bend back alongside ways 183 and around a second sprocket 185 carried by the plunger head 179. The other end of the chain is then anchored to the actuator 180. As the plunger is moved from the position shown in Figure 30 to the position shown in Figure 31 in the direction indicated by the arrow, the lug 175 is moved twice as far as the plunger moves so as to eject the stack of packages from the rolls 173 and out `of the frame of the elevator to the broken line position shown in Figure 29.

Actuation of the fluid pressure actuator which preferably is of the pneumatic type is accomplished automatically by lowering of the elevator to its lowermost position. The elevator platform carrying the package stack has a pin 186 mounted beneath it on a plate. This pin will engage and swing the valve control arm 187 when the elevator reaches its lowermost position and thus actuate the control valve 188 to supply fluid under pressure to the actuator 180 in a direction to project the plunger 179. When the lug 175 has travelled to the end of its path on ways 183 the stack of packages will have been pushed far enough to coast on out of the elevator frame to a location where it can be picked up by a fork lift truck. The plunger can engage a limit switch to return the valve 188 to the position in which the iluid under pressure will be admitted to the opposite end of the actuator 180 for retracting the plunger and the package stack ejecting lug 175 again tothe positions of Figure 30 from the positions of Figure 31 or farther projected position; or such return can be effected by control mechanism operated by raising of the elevator.

Automatic control It is desired that the packaging machine described above be operated automatically as far as possible. In order to operate the machine at its maximum capacity it is preferred that simultaneously one package be stopped in the end adhesive setting section of the end closing leg of the machine, a second package be on the transfer section ready to be started into the end flap folding and adhesive applying section of the end closing leg, a third package be in the side adhesive setting section of the side closing leg and a yfourth package 'be in the process of being assembled on the package assembly table.

With packages thus located the timing should be -as follows.

(l) The setting of the adhesive having been completed in the end adhesive setting section the transfer belts in the `end closing leg will be energized to discharge the package from the end adhesive setting section and feed the package from the transfer section into the end Hap folding and adhesive applying section.

(2) When the package has thus been cleared from the transfer section the transfer belts of the side closing leg will be started to move the package from the side adhesive setting section to the transfer section and to move the newly assembled package from the package assembly 

